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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

I'm Giving Up...

A few years ago, I decided to quit giving up things for Lent.

I've given up something for Lent most of my life. I remember one year I gave up refined sugar - as a person who doesn't eat many sweet things, I remember thinking it wasn't all that much of a struggle.

Of course, it happened to be the one time of the year that I craved my only once a year single Wild Cherry Pepsi. I survived.

But then, at some point, I decided I'm giving up giving things up, and instead, I would do something that is actually more of a challenge for me - I would ADD something positive for 40 days.

This has taken various forms - daily readings, extra walking time, etc. It's amazing how even if you feel like you already have a routine, adding a single daily thing can be so difficult. It's much easier to do everything tomorrow, but that's not the deal during Lent, so I hang in there.

This year I decided I would add the one thing that I should be doing anyway every day, but always push to the bottom of my to-do list: mailing cards. As a person who half-heartedly - well, I guess I should be honest - doesn't even try to battle my spiritual gift of procrastination, my love language, this will most definitely be a struggle. I will be gravely tempted to stray and just do it another day. I will find it difficult, but social media will help me. Each and every day, I will post the card I'm mailing on one of my social media channels - Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I already Instagrammed the one I mailed today.

A valuable resource I'm using to pull this off is the Random Acts of Kindness forum at Splitcoast. This forum exists solely to make people happy by sending them RAKs, or BRAKs (Birthday RAKs). Today I chose a BRAK. Hint - it was someone whose birthday is on St. Patrick's Day. If you want to see the cards I send and who I send them to, just peek at my other channels and follow along.

Now in my study of my mad procrastination skills leading up to this Lent, I noticed that I have 102 unpublished blog posts.

9 comments:

Giving up giving up is such a positive way of looking at things. I pray that you are successful in your mailings. I am challenged by you. I have a few cards that I need to get in the mail...I was going to say I will try to mail them and I heard "Yoda's voice in my head saying 'Do or not do. There is no try'" so I will get them mailed. I love how your broken heart looks.

What a great spin on giving up. I never feel that what I (attempt) to give up is worthy enough of being a sacrifice because it's usually something I can get by without anyway. But, giving myself a shorter period of time - 40 days as opposed to 365 - would make those "New Year's Resolutions/Goals" more manageable to achieve. And in the long run it is giving something up that I too, am very good at - procrastination. Thank you for the inspiration. And thank you for posting your wonderful artistic work!

Ironically, I had an old friend over the weekend tell me that she did the same thing during lent and encouraged her children to do the same. I instantly loved that idea and am glad to hear more people do it. I guess Lent started and I should figure out my own plan. That sort of snuck up on me.

I love your perspective Lydia and mailing cards is an AWESOME positive thing for a compulsive cardmaker to do. I began mailing cards once a week a short while ago. Every Sunday I sit down with a pile of cards and my address book and I just go through it and send out love. Some weeks it is just one card. This week, I sent 14. I hope these positive ripples build and am glad and excited to see you doing this too. Lucky recipients - extra sunshine is always welcomed.

giggle....your "spiritual gift of procrastination....." all of a sudden I am looking at my procrastination in a whole new light! :)

I like the sound of 102 posts!!! Bring on more Lydia, please! :)

I loved this card the first time I saw it and I still do! :)

I thought I might add the 40 bags in 40 days....but apparently I have mad procrastination skills too...because I didn't get anything tossed on day 1 except our daily food scraps to the compost pile. sigh.

I started "doing" for Lent a couple years ago, it's very rewarding. Now I try to give something up, and do something. I try to encourage my children to add a "do" to their Lenten practice. Love your idea of sending cards!

I like your take on Lent, Lydia!! I gave up giving up a long time again, but to add something in is a great idea.I conquer my inner procrastinator by considering my dad, LOL. I would hate to become him.

Every time you leave a comment, a new LOLcat is born. ALSO - don't panic if you don't see your comment right away - I moderate my comments to keep those spammers out, so your comment will show up in short order. Unless you're linking me to Russian brides or Nigerian princes.

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Hi. I'm Lydia. I'm the Community Manager at Splitcoast by day, an artist, a teacher and an animal lover in every other moment. I do participate in affiliate programs at Stampin' Up! and Blick Art Materials and others, and may receive small compensation when you purchase using my links, at no additional cost to you.

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All of my projects are posted for your instruction & enjoyment. You may recreate these projects to your heart's content and I'll be flattered. I'd love it if you give me credit. It would be cool if you didn't submit them for publication though or sell them and make a million dollars, because that's bad karma. Unless you split it with me. My photos and my words belong completely to me and can't be reused or republished, so you gotta make your own. That means you have an excuse to buy glitter. And unless noted, dearest government officials, I am not compensated in any way for the products I use or discuss.

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